Hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer wrote to colleagues “to correct some of the misinformation that has been published about me” and “to explain [his[ thinking, the very essence of which is that all of us should think for ourselves.” Much like Simon & Schuster, Mercer had backed Milo Yiannopoulos and then realized that was a mistake: “I supported Milo Yiannopoulos in the hope and expectation that his expression of views contrary to the social mainstream and his spotlighting of the hypocrisy of those who would close down free speech in the name of political correctness would promote the type of open […]
Authors
Penguin Press Cancels Halperin Book
Thursday evening Penguin Press announced it will cancel the book due for publication next spring from Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, the third in their Game Change series. The publisher said in a brief statement: “In light of the recent news regarding Mark Halperin, the Penguin Press has decided to cancel our plans to publish a book he was co-authoring on the 2016 election.” Penguin Press’s announcement came after HBO said they were “no longer proceeding with” a planned production based on the forthcoming book. “HBO has no tolerance for sexual harassment within the company or its productions,” the network […]
William Morris Endeavor to Drop Bill O’Reilly
Bill O’Reilly’s longtime book agent Eric Simonoff at William Morris Endeavor is dropping the former broadcaster for future literary representation. A WME spokesperson told CNN the agency will “no longer represent Bill O’Reilly for future deals.” They noted, “It is our fiduciary responsibility to service the existing deals we have under contract, but we will not be working with him moving forward.” The AP reports that O’Reilly still has at least one more Killing book under contract with publisher Henry Holt. On Monday O’Reilly’s longtime television agent at United Talent Agency said that they would drop him as a client at […]
Briefs: New EL James, New Chandler Reps, Brzezinski Expands Concerns, and More
The surprise EL James book people at Penguin Random House have been whispering about was announced on Tuesday: DARKER: Fifty Shades Darker as Told by Christian, continues the retelling of her trilogy from Christian Grey’s point of view that began with GREY. Vintage will publish the trade paperback on Tuesday, November 2. The publisher says they will be soliciting orders from accounts over the next week, and currently have paper on order and press time reserved for a first printing of more than one million copies. James says in the announcement, “The inside of Christian Grey’s head is a fascinating place to […]
People, Etc.
Lauren Adams has been promoted to senior marketing manager of licensed and proprietary brands marketing for Random House Children’s. Kate Hutchison joins BookShout as director of business development and publisher relations. Most recently she worked for the startups Litsy and Bookstr. LitHub’s latest “interview with a gatekeeper” features Colin Dickerman. On why being an editor is the best job: “Because I feel like it engages so many different ways of thinking. You’re reading something critically, you’re negotiating a contract, there’s a social aspect to it…you’re going out and meeting people. And there is the very intense relationship with an author, which […]
Lani Sarem Admits to Lying and Bulk Purchasing to Make Bestseller List, Still Blames the System
After defending herself with a lie in the Hollywood Reporter — “‘not to my knowledge’ did anyone involved with the book engage in an organized strategy to bulk buy at bookstores surveyed by The New York Times to game the best-seller list” — YA author Lani Sarem moves to sister property Billboard with a column that’s supposed to defend herself but instead stands as an admission of guilt and a font of alternative facts. (Why are these Prometheus magazines on her side? We may never know.) Sarem admits to purchasing her own book in bulk, at retail, from multiple retailers, in order […]